1 Introduction

Explored the dual connotations of language civilization, including elegant language that conforms to social moral norms and language culture as a progressive state of human civilization. The article emphasizes the role of language civilization in promoting harmonious interpersonal relationships and inheriting human civilization, and points out the current policy documents' emphasis on language civilization. At the same time, scholars' exploration of the concept of civilization from different dimensions was introduced, and suggestions were made to incorporate language civilization into the theoretical framework of China's language strategy. The article also discusses the civilization orientation of language planning, aiming to build an independent knowledge system for Chinese language planning.

The Evolution of Language Planning Orientation

After World War II, newly independent developing countries faced language problems. The original intention of language planning discipline was to solve these problems, focusing on the selection of common languages, orthography, literacy textbooks, etc., in order to promote social integration and national unity. Subsequently, identity orientation emerged, emphasizing the cultural identity function of language and focusing on language status, image, and reputation planning. Ruiz proposed a tripartite approach of questions, rights, and resources, emphasizing the development and utilization of language as a resource, and promoting the development of language economy concepts. In the 1990s, ecological orientation received attention, emphasizing the understanding of language ecological environment, including historical, social, and cultural backgrounds, as well as issues such as language contact, dissemination, integration, endangerment, competition, conflict, and revival. The humanistic orientation emphasizes the role of people in language planning, focuses on the dynamic process of language users interpreting, referencing, and creating language policies, and questions the fixed orientation's neglect of language users' agency.

Civilization orientation of language planning: core concept

In depth exploration of the differences between civilization and culture, it is pointed out that culture is a way of life in terms of spirit, intelligence, and art, while civilization involves material, technological, economic, and social facts. Civilization is the result of cultural development, carrying cultural heritage and serving as a platform for cultural survival and development. Ge Zhaoguang (2024) emphasizes that culture is the characteristic, habit, and customs of a group, while civilization is the morality, ethics, law, and rationality jointly explored by humans to establish social order. Civilization has universal characteristics, describing the overall development status of human society, while culture emphasizes differentiation, diversity, and specific identity recognition.

The Value of Civilization Orientation in Language Planning

The civilization orientation of language planning emphasizes the promotion of social civilization progress, and its value is reflected in three aspects: integrity and inclusiveness, long-term and historical, modernity and innovation. In terms of integrity and inclusiveness, language planning with a civilized orientation focuses on serving the overall interests of society, balancing the interests of different language groups, promoting understanding and tolerance among members of society, and enhancing social cohesion. In terms of long-term and historical significance, civilization oriented language planning emphasizes the historical, long-term, and sustainable aspects of language planning, focuses on long-term benefits, and considers the development trends and needs of future society. In terms of modernity and innovation, the language planning oriented towards civilization fully considers the influence of new technologies, new environments, and other factors, and explores new methods and ideas for language planning that adapt to the development of the times and the progress of civilization. The language planning oriented towards civilization not only names a research field, but also includes a series of theoretical assumptions related to language, culture, tradition, revival, technology, progress, ecology, cities, networks, ethics, institutions, sustainable development, etc. It involves multiple aspects and levels of content, and can integrate and fuse multiple knowledge points to form a complete knowledge network.

Chinese Language Strategy with a Civilization Orientation

The Chinese language strategy is a high-level, global, and long-term decision-making process that differs from specific and detailed planning. It is closely linked to the orientation of civilization, emphasizing integrity, historicity, and innovation. The language strategy aims to comprehensively implement six major concepts, including enhancing language proficiency, building a harmonious language life, protecting language resources, promoting communication accessibility, providing language services, and promoting language civilization. It is also committed to exploring the achievements of historical language policies and planning wisdom, using modern technological means to gain a deeper understanding of language and national conditions, and formulating effective planning schemes.

6 Conclusion

In 2023, China proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, emphasizing the commonalities of civilizations, advocating for diversity and mutual learning among civilizations, transcending conflicts, and promoting the inheritance and innovation of civilizations. Language policy makers need to establish a sense of civilization, and planning language is planning civilization, which should serve social development, consider changes in social needs, and the role of language in economy, technology, education, and civilization dissemination. The discipline of Chinese language planning should be based on the ideology of Chinese language civilization, extract discourse, summarize paradigms, elevate theories, explore historical heritage, construct a language planning system with Chinese characteristics, and lead the development of international language planning.